IRVINE  At last year’s team banquet following a state championship campaign, Cathedral Catholic coach Kelly Drobeck told her five juniors they had a chance to return for one more title shot in 2012.

But the team’s fifth straight appearance Saturday in the Division III title match started badly with a first-set loss.

Middle blocker Tatiana Durr and outside hitter Kristen Witous combined for 11 kills. The rest of the team had just one kill.

“That won’t get it done,” Drobeck said. “Those two are our comfortable hitters, but we needed others to get involved.”

They did that as the top-seeded Dons rallied to win three closely contested sets to claim a 23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-21 win over Moraga Campolindo at Concordia University.

Campolindo (30-5) defeated the Dons (34-4) in the 2010 finals for the lone blemish in the last five seasons.

Cathedral Catholic became only the third team to play in five straight state title matches, joining Tri-City Christian, which played its fifth consecutive final earlier in the day, and San Jose Archbishop Mitty. Only Mountain View St. Francis has a longer streak with six.

Were it not for the Dons’ supporting cast, this match could have ended the same as it did two years ago.

Contributions came from junior Samantha Mangseth with three blocks in the second game, junior Ivey Schmitt with three kills in the second game and senior Sarah Seiber with a kill and two blocks in the second game and four kills in the third game.

“I told Sarah and the others to make a difference,” Drobeck said. “She got involved and we started playing better.”

In the fourth game, the Dons led 22-21 and got a kill by setter Lauren Miller, an unforced error and a final kill by Miller to clinch the fourth crown in five seasons.

Witous had a game worth remembering with 16 kills, four blocks and three aces.

“We love to keep the coaches on the edge of their seats for as long as we can,” said Durr, who had 17 kills, seven blocks and three aces. “This year means the most to the seniors. It means the entire world to me.”